Rotary engine.



No. 693,348. Patented-freu. n, |902.

- n. M. BEARING. f

BUTARY ENGINE. (Application filed Nov. 15, 189.7. Renewed Dec. 13, 1901.)

(no Model.)

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No. 693,348. Pmnud rem", |902.

n. M. nEAmNG.

`I'TARYENGINE.

(Application Bled' Nov. 15, 1597. Renewed Dec. 13,1901.) A (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

N0. 693,348'. Patented Feb. Il, |902;

n. M. BEARING. ROTARYENGINE.V

(Application led Nom 15, 1897. Renewed Dec. 13, 1901.) l (No Model.) 4Sheets$heet 3.

N. 693.348. Patefed Feb. ll, |902.

D. M. BEARING. ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application tiled Nov. 15, 1897.v Renpwed Dec. 1.3, 1901.)

(Nb Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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UNITED 'l STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.n

DAVID M. DEARING, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO GUILFORD S.

WOOD, OF DENVER, COLORADO, AND HENRY P. DEARING, OF SAND- STONE, MICHIGAN.

ROTARY ENGINE.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,348, dated February 1] 1902. Application iiled November l5. 1897. Renewed December 13, 1901. Serial No. 85,812.. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, DAVID M. DEARING, a citizen of the United States, vresiding at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention',

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. This invention relates to steam-engines, and more especially to that class thereof known as rotary; and the objects of the i5 same are several. In the rst place it is well` the rim and head, whereby the above objec-y tion will be avoided. In the second place it 3o is well known that such types of engines as apply the full force of the live steam to drive the pistonv produce greater power but consume more steam than those types wherein the expansive force of the steam is used to all o r some of its extent to do this work, and the second object of my invention is toproduce a rotary engine which is so constructed as to be capable of using the live steam nnder its full force at desiredA times and in connection with the expansive power of the steam at all times, thus gaining the advantages of both means of using the working power ofv steam. In the third place it is well .known that rotary engines possess other disadvantages-such as the objectionable deadcenter, the inability to be started and Vhead of steam, and the necessity of so shaping their surrounding rims as will produce the desired results-and the third object of stopped either under expansion or under fullments in the details of construction.

The several objects above are accomplished by the' construction set forth below and pointed out in the claims, all as also illustrated in lthe accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a cross-section of this improved rotary engine, taken on line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is` a longitudinal section thereof, taken on the line a: a: of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are inner face views of the disk of Fig. 14 and the ring of Fig. 16, shown as in position upon the endplates of the casing. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views through the outer edges'of these parts 'to illustrate their cam-grooves. Fig. '7 is a section through the core, its iianges, and said rings, as well as a sectionl through the cylinder-head Vat a proper pointV to show the operation of the cut-off plate. Fig. 8 is an elevation of a portion of the spind-le forming part of the steam-inlet. Fig. 9 is an elevation illustrating the application of my engine to drive a propeller. Fig. 10 is a similar view illustrating the use of two of myA engines set quartering on the shaft of a locomotive or the like for driving the same. Figs.

11 and 12 are sections taken on the lines U o' and w w of Fig. 8, respectively, and including also'some ot the parts surrounding the spindle. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectionA of an engine whose rim is built with an active facestruck on arcs of two circles. tion of the said disk, Fig; 15 'of one of the fianges for the core, and'Fig. 16 of said'ring. Fig. 17 is a section similar to Fig. 13, showing an engine whose rim has an active face struck on the arcs of three circles.' is a detail showing the two rings, partly in section, and illustrating the valve-throwing device. Fig.` 19 is a detail illustrating the Fig. 14. is an eleval Fig. 18

use of rods and pulleys ina modiied form 1 preferably made slightly conical, as shown in reo Fig. 2, and operated by a handle 19, secured upon its smaller end and adapted by contact with the packing-nut 1S on the end of the shaft 6 to be drawn or moved longitudinally to a slight degree for the purpose of taking up wear and preventing the escape of the [luid agent. However, any suitable means could be employed for this purpose. Said spindle 15 is cored at one end with au inletpassage 15m and at the other end with an exhaust-passage 30, there being any suitable form of closure or wall between the in'ner ends of these passages.

17 is an inletpipe from the boiler or other source of su pply of the fiuid agent under pressure, and 17 is an opening in the spindle 15 of a size to communicate with the inlet-pipe at all times when the engine is running.

8 designates a rim, preferably cylindrical on its exterior. 'lo the open ends of this cylindric rim are detachably or rigidly attached, as by bolts or screws 6g, the end plates 7, having enlargements or hubs at the points where they are journaled on the shaft 6d. One orboth of these hubs can serve as pulleys from which power generated by this engine can be transferred to the machinery which it is desired to drive, or the driving-belt could be placed directly around the rim 8, if so desired. I preferably employ a collar 16, which is adjustably mounted on the shaft 6d and serves to hold the rotary rim and its end'plates and hubs. in proper position between the supports 5. The inner face of the rim 8 has grooves 8l at its ends, which are truly concentric to its shaft for a purpose to appear below, but between them the active face 8, forming one of the walls of the steam-space 13, is struck on a plurality of curved lines. The latter are shown in Figs. 13 and 17 as forming arcs of true circles, although they may be struck on lines deviating slightly therefrom, as in Fig. 1, without necessarily departing from the spirit of my invention. At all points where these curved lines intersect each other are located the piston-heads 9, here shown as any suitable packing,pressed inward by screws 57.

G designates a core'fast on the shaft 6, truly cylindrical in form and of the same length axially as the active face above mentioned, while Gf are truly cylindrical flanges secured. to the opposite ends of this core and provided with suitable packing in their outer edges which travel in the grooves 8b near the ends of the rim. l might here state that although in the present instance I have everywhere shown the core and its parts as stationary and the rim and its parts as rotary it will be understood that the reverse might be the case-in other words, the rim might be fixed and the core revolve within it (by making slight changes in the construction) without necessarily departing from the spirit of my invention. At suitable points in the periphery of the core are formed chambers 6, preferably radial thereto, and in each chamber is mounted for longitudinal movement a cylinder-head 10, having suitable packing along its outer edge adapted to coact with the active face of the rim, and hence of the same length as the width of such face. The ends of these heads will also carry suitable packing adapted to coact with the inner faces of the anges 6f to prevent leakage.

In the ends of each cylinder-head are mounted pins 10, which project through slots 6 in the ianges 6f and travel in cam-grooves 12, that are formed in the inner faces of disks 7, which are attached by screws 7c to the end plates and revolve therewith. (See Figs. 4 and 14.) These cam-grooves are struck on lines absolutely parallel with said active face of the rim, being an exact reproduction of form thereof, and hence as the rim and disks revolve the cam-grooves by their engagement with the pins cause the longitudinal movements of the cylinder-heads at precisely the proper moments and to exactly the proper extent to prevent undue friction between the heads and active face along their coacting lines, and yet by means of the packing 75 to prevent the escape of the fluid agent.

As a modification of the above and for use in large machines pulleys ,10b could be substituted for the pins or journaled thereon and travel in slightly-larger grooves, or rods 10C could extend from the cylinder-heads inward and carry the pins or pulleys at their inner ends nearer the axis, and hence reduce the length of travel and consequent friction. (See Fig. 19 and the dotted cam-grooves in Fig. 1.) This idea of having the longitudinal movements of the heads controlled not by their contact with the active face or by springs, but by means of the cam-grooves remote from the coacting points or lines between the heads and active face, forms the primary or main point of the present invention, and I consider it especially valuable for reasons elsewhere stated.

At suitable points in the cam-grooves 12 and possibly where they are nearest the axis, as at 12, may be formed air-ports 12M, opening to the exterior air or into the exhaust, whereby I prevent the formation of aircushions in the chambers Gf* behind the heads as the latter recede. The spindle 15 is provided near its center with several ports opening from its cored passage 15 radially outward, as shown in Fig. 8, there being four inlet-ports 15b a't one side of the central wall, Fig. 11, and two outlet-ports 15d at the other side thereof, Fig. 12. The coreG is provided with radial inlet-ducts 0b, two for each cylinder-head, leading from points in the periphery of the core adjacent opposite faces of the head inward through suitable individual openings in the shaft 6 to its bore, wherein is mounted the spindle 15. These inlets preferably stand in a plane near one end of the core, and four similar outlet-ducts 6c are arr ranged in another plane within the core an shaft near the-opposite end. `The inlet-ducts connect with the inlet-portsand the outlet-Y ducts with the outlet-ports, as will be clean The cylinder-heads are preferably vnever set exactly diametrically opposite each other, aV

slightly or approximately quartering position preventing dead-centers, as usual, and the dotted positions -in the several views illus-V r trate other positions which these heads could occupy. v

7b designates rings surrounding the disks above described and preferably having slots 11e, through which screws 11@ pass loosely into or through the casing-plates 7, for a purpose to appear later. These rings rotate with the rim outside the `iianges Gf, andtheir inner faces are provided with two concentric camgroovesllA and 11w hen the cylinder-heads are not directly opposite each other; but only one such groove will be necessary when these heads are diametrically opposite. V2O are cutoi plates ysliding longitudinally within the core parallel with its axis'and having rounded ends yprojecting into these cam-grooves, as Seen in Fig. 7. Each cut-oplate has a pair of slots 20b of suflicient length to span the out- Yprovided .with holes 20, of whichY each is twice the length-lengthwise of the plate-of the respective inlet-d ucts 6b, with which these v end of. thev other.

let-ducts'6, so as to leave them always open, and between these slots an openingof sufficient size to permit the passage of the head lOand of vproper lengthpto 'permitthe above On op-r movements of the lplate thereover. posite sides of this opening each plate lis also holes'are adapted to register, and such holes are so arranged that the left .or inner vend ofy one-is in alinement with the right or .outerf Theobject of this. conj struction is setforth below. v The cam-grooves. and .their shallower and deeperparts are so: located that their action on the cut-offplates; 20. shall be properly timedto effectthe cut 0E of live steam in theinlet-ducts 6b at proper moments.

With the construction 'of this improved en-z gine as thus far descri'bedthe operation will head lO and the .piston-head 9'.

shown.

10.and a newsteaxuchamber is formed, (near the top in Fig. 1,) so that the full forc'eis applied atthat` point to continue the application of power. Approximately the same action takes place in Figs.'13 `and 17. In all cases it will be understood that the cam-` thereon.

,groovesand pins or pulleyscause the inward and outward movements ofthe cylinder-heads 'to correspond exactly with the shape ofthat portion'of the active face of the rim which is The exhaust-duct t3c is always open at the forward endof the steam-space 13 just opposite'.

in rear of the next cylinder-head, just befv hind the full-lined inlets shown inthe drawings, and hence not capable of illustration When the rim has turned and the piston-head 91 has moved for a distance preferably between a quarter and a half of the length of the stroke, the high point 35 of the .cam-groovell in ring 7b throws the cut-od plate 2O lto the opposite position, thus closing Vthe inletfduct 6b, after which the steam expands-in the chamberl 13 duringthe balance The same action takes place ,with the other piston-head and its plate 20, Athough operated by the other cam-groove 11a.

ofthe stroke.

In order to reversethe direction of rotation of this engine-it .is simply necessary to turn the handle 1`9 and its spindle l5 until the ports f ,in 'the latter move from the position shown at the right-of Fig. 11 alongthe directionindicated bythe arrow therein to theVA position shown at the left ofu this view. The inflowing steam or other agent then passes tothe other set of ducts 6* and to the opposite sides ofY the heads 10 from that shown in Fig. 1, and

obviously the direction of rotation will be Ire.` versed. By this process the ducts formerly open have been closed, while those formerly, rclosed havebeen opened,and this applies to both the steam inlet and exhaust ports. This reversing action is thesame 'in theseveral forms of my machine illustrated herewith.

Whenit is desired to have the cut-ofttak'e place at different points kin the lengthof the` -strokefrom those above described, the screws y11d are loosened,the rings 7-b turned relatively,

tothe disks and the ,screws reset vatthe desired and proper points inthe slotsjll Y -This engine can be stopped at.v any time `by means 4of an `ordinary throttle inthe steam or other feed pi'pe. 17 `or `byturning the spindle 15 to such an extent thatnone ofl its inlet-` ports 15b will register with the inlet-ducts 6b. If,-however, the engineY is 'stoppedafter the cut oif of'live steam has taken place-Jr. el,on

Vexpansion-it will benecessary toin somey ICO IIO

manner admit live steam again before the f' machine can be started, supposing that the expansive force of the steam in the chambers 13 is not sufficient to causev the resumption of rotation. Many forms of valve-throwing devices or other mechanisms could be employed to produce 'this action; but I have illustrated and described herein my preferred construction, which is as follows; y "1 5.0c is a lever pivoted aty 5()d and-engaging at 50? with a 'grooved collar 50, adapted .t'o slide longitudinallyon one of the hubs of the Vcasing-plate 7 and 50 represents rods extending from this collar to and connected withthe adjacent ring 7*,so as to rotatetherewith. H51

represents other rods, preferably having pulleys 5l at their ends, traveling in grooves 52 in both rings 7", which grooves may be closed by plates52, if desired. These latter rods extend completely through the core and its flanges from one ring to the other, and said rings are ot' a thickness less than that of the disks 7, whereby they are permitted to have a slight movement longitudinally of the casing between the plates of the latter and the iianges of the core. lVith this construction, if the engine above described should be stopped after the cut off of live steam or other agent, to start it again it will be only necessary to operate the lever 50c to move both rings simultaneously,so that the walls of their cam-grooves will throw the cut-off plate 20in proper direction and to proper extent to bring the proper hole 20overtheinlet-duct 6b,lead ing to that side ofthe cylinder-head on which it is desired to admit steam, according as it is desired to start the engine in one direction or the other. The active agent in its fullinitial force is then and thereby admitted, the engine resumes motion in a direction controlled by the way the spindle is set, andthe lever 50c is then immediately returned to its former position. Such valve-throwing device will not be necessary when a plurality of my improved engines are connected with one driving-shaft in a manner similar to the arrangement of the cranks on a locomotive which are set quartering to each other. Neither will this device be necessary in connection with one of my improved engines when a multiplicity of cylinder-heads are used in such manner as to prevent a deadcent-er.

At the bottom of Fig. l I have shown an auxiliary cylinder-head lO, which may be employed to shorten the length of stroke, here to make it one-third of a revolution. In Fig. 17 the dotted lines show where similar auxiliary heads l0m might be located for substantiallythe samepurpose. 'lheinlet-ducts Gl on opposite sides of this auxiliary head need not be provided with cut-offs, although the head is controlled in its movements by pins or pulleys l0, traveling in the camgrooves 12, like the other heads. In this case the spindle l5 would have an auxiliary inletport tik, which would communicate with the inlet-duct Gb and admit the full force of the live steam to the proper and desired side of the head 10m. It' the inlet-ducts 6" for this head have no cut-offs, the second object of my invention is thereby accomplished, as it will be obvious that the continued full force of the live steam (without any expansion thereof) is employed against the auxiliary head and causes it to assist the other heads in driving the engine. Hence this form of engine would combine the expansive force of `steam with its initial full direct force.

Referring now again to Fig. 7 and the holes 20 in the cut-oft` plate 20, it will be obvious to permit them to have a wider range of movement to and fro Linder the action of this lever. It now it should be desired to have the engine run in either direction under the full force of the steam on all its heads 10 and 10m, (and without any expansion at all,) the lever 50c is so moved and set as to cause the valvethrow mechanism to move the rings to such an extent that the hole 2OL will be squarely over the inlet-duct 6b, and thereafter the lateral movements of the valve-plate 2O under the influence of the cam-grooves in the rings will only cause this hole to move to and fro over, yet always in communication with, the inlet-duct. The result is that the cut-off no longer takes place at all, and hence more power is given the engine, although, of course, more steam is consumed; yet this feature ol4 my invention I consider extremely valuable, as it is thereby adapted to suddenly do very heavy work that may be thrown upon it, as in a locomoiive-engines ascending a heavy grade.

Thus it will be seen that this improved rotary engine can utilize both the direct force and the expansion of the steam on each of its heads, the same on certain heads combined with the direct force on others, or the direct force on all of its heads, and that it can be stopped and started at any point and under anyof the above conditions. I would further call attention to the fact that each cylinder-1 head is projected before the initial pressure of the steam is received in the chamber 13 and recedes at a time when expansion has ceased in the form of engine shown in Fig. l. Hence there is the least possible strain on the heads lateral to their chambers and approximately no binding action therein. In all cases and with all modifications the camgrooves 12 follow accurately the configuration of the active face ot' the rim, and hence while the packing at the outer edges of the cylinder-heads stands close enough to said active face to prevent escape of steam or other agent between them still there is no appreciable friction and wear between the two at any point. Hence there can be no pounding,as is usual in engines of this type.

Fig. 9 shows my improved engine applied to a propeller-shaft which is journaled in bearings 27. The exhaust is at 30 and the propeller at 28.

Fig. l0 shows two of my rotary engines mounted on the axle between the driving- Wheels 2G 2G of a locomotive.

Figs. 13 and 17 illustrate modied forms of the active face, dsc., as above referred to.

It will be understood that such changes in, elaboration of, or add itions to the details l1crc- IOD lIO

ystantially as set fort-h.

inbefore set forth can be made as properly come within the spirit of my invention and that the precise shape, form, proportion, and arrangements of parts are'immaterial save as they serve to accomplish the desired ends.

Vhat is claimed as new isl. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rim having cylindrical grooves at the interiorof its ends and an interior active face between them, plates closing the ends of the rim,

.and disks carried by `the linner faces of the plates and themselves kprovided with cam- .grooves absolutely parallelwith said active face; of a core concentric with the rim and provided with .inlets and outlets for the active agent, cylinder-heads carried by the core and having .pins engaging said cam-grooves for the purpose'set forth, and iianges secured to the ends of the core, their outer edges travelingin the groove in the rim and vtheir bodiesl standing between the core and the disks and having slots for thepassage of said pins, sub- 2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a shaft, a core thereon having radial chambers as well as outlets and inlets for the fluid agent, cylindrical flanges of greater diametery vthan thecore and secured to its ends, pack- -ingin their outeredges, cylinder-headsre` ciprocating Within said chambers, and pack- Aingalong their outer edges between saidflanges of a rim surrounding the core and having. concentric grooves .at its. ends within'` which the flange-packing works and an inte-v rior actlve face between .the grooves and with t which the cylinder-.packing .coacts, pistonheads in said activeface consisting of packing set in the rimandsCreWs for adjusting it, and means substantially as described for kcausing the cylinder-heads to advance and recede in conformity with the shape of the active face as the rim and core rotate the one.

with respect to the other, as set forth.

3. `In a rotary engine, the combination with a hollow shaft mounted in supports, a rim loose on the shaft and. having an interior ac-` tive face with a plurality of piston-heads, a core fast on the shaft and having a plurality of cylinder-heads, and means for causing them to coact with said active face; of outlets leading from the steam-spaces between the active face and the periphery of the core, two sets of inlet-ducts leading from said spaces on respectively opposite sides of the cylinder-heads to individual openings arranged in one plane through said shaft, a rotatable hollow spindle Within the shaft having ports adapted to register with either set, and a source of huidsupply to the core of the spindle, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a rotary engine, the combinatiouwithl a rim having an active face, piston-heads therein, a core Within the rim, and cylinderheads in the core coacting with said face; of

inlet and outlet ducts through the core, cutoff plates forthe former sliding in the core, rings carried by the rim and having camgrooves engaging the extremities of said cutoif plates,aud a source of Huid-supply through the shaft, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. I-n a rotary engine,"the combination with a rim- Vhaving an active face, pistonheads therein, a core within the rim, and cylinderheads coacting with said face; of-inlet and ou tletducts,cutoffplates fortheformerslidingin the core, rings carried bythe rim and having 4 cam-grooves engaging said plates,these plates being also provided with concentric slots, setscrews taking through such slots and engaging the end plates ofi-the rim,and a source of huid-supply to the =`inner ends of the'inletducts, as and for the purpose set forth.

f V6. In a-rotary' engine, the combination with a rim having piston-heads in its active face,

a core having a plurality of cylinder-heads coacting with said face'and located out of diametrically `opposite position, and outlets ffor the steam-spaces; of `rings-adj ustably attached to the end plates of the rim andhaving cam-grooves, inlet-ducts for the steamspaces, and independent cut-off plates across these ducts and Within the core, the extremitiesof each plate traveling in its own camgroove, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination withv a rim and a core member, one having an acltive face with piston-heads therein, and the other having cylinder-heads coacting-with Said-4 face and inlets and outlets; of cut-off plates moving across the inlets, rings having cams for causing the movementsof said plates, rods connecting the latter so as to cause their simultaneous movement, a collar 4to which one plate'is connected, and a lever for moving the collar, as and for the-purpose setforth.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination with rim and core members, one having an active face with piston-heads therein, and the` other havin g cylinder-heads coacting therewith,and

a rirn having an interior active fasce withpiston-heads therein, end plates secured to the rima core within the rim having cylinder-heads coacting with said face and provided with inlet and outlet ducts, cut-off plates across the inlet-ducts, and flanges at the ends of the core; of rings standngbetween the end plates and ian ges and provided with cam-grooves .engaging the ends of said cut-off plates, and means for attachingl the rings to the end plates, as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a rotary engine,the combination with a rim having an interior active face with piston-heads therein, end plates secured totho rim, a core within the rim having cylinder` heads coacting with said face and also pro-` vided with inlet and outlet ducts, and cut-off plates across the inlet-ducts of disks secured to the end plates and having cam-grooves, oonnections between such grooves and the cylinder-heads, rings surrounding 'the disks and also having cam-grooves engaging the cut-o plates, and means for adj ustably securing the rings to the end plates, as and for thepurpose set forth.

ll. In a rotary engine,the combination with a hollow shaft, a core fast thereon and having cylinder heads, outlets leading from both sides of the heads, inlets leading also from both sides thereof to two sets of individual openings into said shaft, and cut-o plates sliding in the core across the inlets; of a rim mounted on the shaft and having an active face carrying piston-heads and with which said cylinder-heads coact, rings having cams engaging the ends of said plates, the rings moving relativelyl` to the core, a spindle within the shaft leading the active agent from a suitable source to its inlet-ports, and means for turning the spindle to throw its ports out of communication with one or both sets of ducts, as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In arotary engine,the combination with the rim and core members, one having an active face with piston-heads therein, and the.

other having cylinder-heads coacting therewith, and also having inlets and outlets; of cut-off plates moving across the inlets, means for moving them at proper times, a collar connected with both such plates, and a lever for shifting the collar to temporarily interrupt the cutoff, as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In a rotary engine,the combination with the rim and core members, one having an active face with piston-heads therein, and the other having cylinder-heads coacting therewith, inlets and outlets for each cylinderhead, and a cut-off plate across certain of the inlets and providedwith holes twice the Width of the inlet-ducts; of means for reciprocating the plates at proper times to produce the cutoi of the iiuid agent, and means for shifting the plates to bring their holes permanently across said ducts so that such cut-off may be interrupted, as and for the purpose set forth.

14:. In a rotary engine,the combination with the rim and core members, one having an active face with-piston-heads therein, and the other having cylinderheads coacting therewith, inlet and outlet ducts for each head and on each side thereof, a valve for admitting the fluid agent to whichever side of the heads is desired, and cut-off plates across certain of the inlets, each provided with a hole for each inlet-d uct which hole is twice the width of the t duct and which two holes stand out of alinement; of means for reciprocating the plates 

